5 Reasons Your CamelBak Water Bottle Isn’t Working (+ Fixes)

CamelBak makes some of my favorite bottles, with some of the best lids, but are a bit more prone to problems than bottles with more basic lids. 

A water bottle that suddenly stops working can be pretty frustrating, especially if you can’t figure out why. But there are a few common reasons your CamelBak Eddy+ Bottle may not be working.

The drinking slit may be sealed shut, the straw may be too long or out of place, the waterway may be clogged, or the air vent could be flooded. Problems with CamelBak Podium Bottles are usually easy to diagnose. In most cases, the jet valve lid is simply clogged with dirt, mold, or debris.

Luckily, fixing your CamelBak Bottle is usually pretty easy. A few minor adjustments, a quick clean, or a simple replacement part will fix most issues that arise. 

Let’s take a closer look at five of the most common reasons your CamelBak Bottle isn’t working and what exactly you can do to fix them.  

1. Your Bite Valve Is Still Sealed (Eddy+)

A common problem many new Eddy+ owners face is not realizing that new bite valves are sometimes sealed at the drinking slit.

The seal is intended to split open the first time you bite the valve for a drink but, unfortunately, doesn’t always work according to plan. Sometimes after manufacturing the slits seal themselves back together making it look like there is absolutely no slit at all.

However, this is a pretty easy problem to fix.

I’ve had a few replacement valves that I needed to firmly squeeze and roll between my fingers a few times before I could drink. Without already knowing what was needed, I’d have probably assumed that the valve was defective. 

If it’s being particularly stubborn, you may need to use a fingernail or knife to pry the slit open.

Though every now and then, your bite valve may just be a dud. CamelBak’s warranty department is pretty quick at sending replacements or, if for whatever reason yours aren’t covered, you can pick them up over on Amazon. 

2. The Straw Is Too Long Or Out Of Place (Eddy+)

If you’ve recently replaced your straw or removed it for cleaning and suddenly aren’t able to get any water through your Eddy+, it’s likely that the straw is out of place or the replacement is just too long. 

When the internal straw isn’t attached snugly to the underside of the lid, the bottom of the straw can press against the bottom of your bottle and create a vacuum seal when you try to take a drink. 

If the straw is securely in place and it’s still pressing against the bottom of your bottle, you may just need to trim about ¼ inch off the straw. 

Straws purchased directly from CamelBak are almost always the perfect length, but third party replacements are often either too long or too short. I’ve tried to save a few bucks on third party straws in the past, but the frustration wasn’t worth it in the end. 

3. The Straw Or Bite Valve Aren’t Attached Properly (Eddy+)

If sips through your Eddy+ lid are weak and full of air, it’s usually because either the straw or bite valve aren’t attached securely and are allowing too much airflow along with your water.

Double check that the straw is attached firmly to the underside of the lid and the bite valve is snug against the mouthpiece. 

As straws and bite valves wear out and loosen, they may just need to be replaced. 

4. Your Lid Is Clogged (Eddy+, Podium)

Eddy+ and Podium lids both have small waterways that can easily become clogged with dirt, mold, and other debris if not cleaned properly (if your Chute Mag lid is clogged, you’ve got much bigger issues).

To unclog an Eddy+ Bottle:

1. Remove the cap. 
2. Pull off the straw and bite valve. 
3. Using a small bottle brush set, scrub out the straw, bite valve, and straw spout.
4. Run water through and blow through the straw spout to make sure you’ve removed any dirt or debris. 
5. Reassemble the bottle. 

For a full detailed breakdown of how to pull apart and deep clean the Eddy+ lid check out my video below:

To unclog a Podium Bottle:

1. Make sure the jet valve is in the open position if your bottle has a locking mechanism.
2. Remove the cap. 
3. Pull off the Keep Cap and Retainer Ring on the underside of the lid to remove the jet valve. 
4. Scrub each piece using a small bottle brush set, paying special attention to the spout.
5. Run water through and blow through the jet valve to ensure that no dirt or debris remain. 
6. Reassemble the bottle in reverse order.

For a full detailed breakdown of how to pull apart and deep clean the Podium lid check out my video below:

Unfortunately, Podium’s jet valve caps are prone to clogging and, because the waterway is so small, it’s tough to clean.

If you’re having trouble with stubborn gunk, the cap can be soaked with water bottle cleaning tablets to remove as much buildup as possible from any inaccessible areas.

To prevent the problem going forward, clean your CamelBak Bottle regularly, paying special attention to the lid. 

5. The Air Vent Is Flooded Or Needs To Be Reset (Eddy+)

On some Eddy and Eddy+ lids, the air vent is offset and not easily accessible.  

It helps make the bottle more leak proof but, if water manages to get into the lid’s casing, will form a vacuum seal and make drinking much more difficult. 

But before you disassemble your entire lid, try this simple trick. 

1. Remove the lid and pull off the straw.
2. Push the air vent aside as much as possible and vigorously shake the lid until all the water has been removed. 
3. Reassemble the bottle. 

If that doesn’t work and you’re confident that the air valve needs to be reset, check out my article on how to fix CamelBak air valves.

The video below is also helpful for older CamelBak lids. 

1. Remove the T10 torx screw from the lid. 
2. Gently pry the top half of the cap off, careful not to damage the plastic. If it’s being stubborn, you can dip the lid in boiling water for a minute or two to loosen the seal. 
3. Remove the rubber stopper from the air valve using needle nose pliers if needed. 
4. Remove any dirt or debris in the stopper and air vent, then dry the interior of your lid thoroughly.
5. Reassemble the lid in reverse order.